Grieving
by SakuraHottie13
Summary: Releasing the pent up emotion was good for her soul. It took the unexpected help of Chief Lin Bei Fong, a woman who understood the pain of losing a loved one, to help Asami get passed losing her father and her own love.


She sat on one of the many cliffs on Air Temple Island, allowing the wind to dance through her hair in a playful mood she did not feel. The Equalist threat was over for the most part; there was still much rebuilding to be done but everyone could celebrate the end of the terrorist that was Amon. At the end of the danger people were celebrating; Korra was able to restore everyone's bending, the oppressive law against non-benders was repealed, and a peace summit was in the works to help dissuade the tension between the non-benders and the benders. Everyone was on the path to rebuilding, everyone except for Asami.

Asami hated feeling weak and helpless. Since the day her mother died she vowed she would never again need protection from anyone but herself. She vowed to be strong, but today she could not fight against the feelings of despair that overwhelmed her, swallowed her up like the tidal waves crashed against the rocks at the bottom of the cliff. Now that things were returning to normal, Asami could properly grieve in silence for all that she had lost. She put up a strong front for those who saw her in the public eye, but now that she was alone she simply didn't have the strength to pretend anymore. She had lost her father, she was losing her company, and the cherry on top was losing Mako.

Asami still couldn't believe that her father had disowned her; had tried to kill her even. He had tossed her aside for his ill-sought vengeance and misplaced anger. He'd allowed his hatred for one dishonorable person consume him and turn him into a monster who used his company to hurt others.

The company was another mark of failure. Investors were wary about supporting a company whose previous owner had sided with a terrorist corporation despite Asami's assurance that she did not hold any degree of sympathy for her father or the Equalist plight. If she could not find someone to buy the reinvented products from the newly managed Future Industries, she would be forced to close down the factories, leaving many without jobs and no way to provide for their families since other companies would no doubt refuse to hire former employees of a known terrorist supporter. Her father had really destroyed many lives for his own selfish gain.

While staring out at the crashing waves, her thoughts wondered in a direction she did not want to go, but knew she needed to to finally release her grief. Mako was a sore spot for the heiress. She avoided him whenever she could. She was happy for him, truly she was, but every time she saw him and Korra together it was like a barely formed scab was ripped off and the gash was let to bleed again. He was happy with the love of his life, while she was left with the burnt ashes of her life; Asami fought the bitter laugh that threatened to escape the prison of her mouth. It seemed her life was destined to always burn to ashes right before her powerless eyes. Mako was her anchor in sea of turbulence; he helped her get through her father's initial betrayal. Mako was her first real friend and was the only connection to the people of the island. They only accepted her because Korra accepted her, and Korra had only accepted her because Mako had. Without him she felt like an outsider, a drifter, an intruder to their sacred peace. She wanted to believe that Mako had genuine feelings for her, but she didn't have the courage to ask; _'What would it matter if he did?'_ she thought.

She would have to leave soon. She could not continue to leech off the people who she knew only barely tolerated her presence. It was time for her to move on, to let go and begin rebuilding the shattered glass of her life. The police would hopefully be done with the investigation on her house; she would thank Tenzin and Pema for their kindness, then disappear without another word to anyone.

Taking a few more moments to release the last tears she would allow herself to cry, Asami felt a presence walking behind her. Hunching her shoulders as a sort of feeble barrier to block whoever had accidently stumbled upon her crying form, she cursed her bad luck. _'Of all the places for someone to have an interest in, why the furthest cliff?'_ Asami had purposely chosen the furthest, least scenic cliff on the island because she didn't want anyone to see her in her moment of weakness. She had learned early to hide her feelings; no one cared about the troubles of a poor little rich girl. Since she was no longer rich, the title changed from rich girl to pretty girl. Her brains and her beauty were all she had left and no one wanted to believe that she was smart; there were only so many blessings people wanted a girl to have and beauty, brains, and wealth were too many. After realizing someone was occupying the cliff, the figure did not leave like Asami believed they would. Instead the figure sat down next to her but did not say a word. Asami stifled her sniffles and wiped her eyes, placing the mask of cold and indifference firmly over her face.

"It's alright to cry." The figure said after a few minutes. Asami was shocked at who had found her. Chief Bei Fong was the last person she expected. The woman was tough as nails and rarely revealed sensitive emotions; as a woman in power she could not afford to be perceived as weak or sensitive.

"What are you doing here?" Asami's voice was irritating to her own ears; the crying had stuffed her nasal passages, leaving her voice nasally and whiny, unlike its regular huskiness.

"Pema sensed that you needed someone to talk to but wouldn't ask for it; she thought I was the best choice."

"Why you?" She was skeptical of the police chief.

"Because I know what it's like to be hurt, and have nowhere to release such emotions." Lin caught the teenager's wary stare and sighed. "You think you are the only one to feel pain? Our situations may not have been the same, but I've dealt with the same emotions you are dealing with. The pain of losing your parents and loved one, the stiflingness of that pain is the same for every heart."

"You were in love with someone?"

"Yes. I loved Tenzin very much, but we changed, and he fell in love with Pema and they were—are happy." The earthbender's eyes softened as she stared down at the rocks below.

"What did you do when you found out, how did you handle it?"

"I was angry. I lashed out and wanted to make him feel the pain I felt. I'm not proud of how I acted, but no one ever tells you how to deal with pain and rejection, especially when there's a happy couple envolved. People just expect you to grin and bear it in silence."

"It would have been easier had I not lost everything at the same time." The Fire Nation beauty grumbled into her arms; she was almost done sulking.

"It may have been easier, but it is better this way. It is like ripping a bandage off; you have gone through all the pain at once and can now begin to heal instead of every time you have found your footing, another piece of the bandage is torn off." The two women sat in silence for a while. One absorbing the wisdom from the elder, the other trapped in memories of her past.

"What bothers me the most is the uncertainty and insecurity."

"About?"

"About if my relationship with him was real, if his feelings were valid or if he just went along with it because I made him. I wonder if I will find someone like he has, or will I be alone for the rest of my life?"

"You're young, you have many years to find love again."

"Doesn't make the fear any less real." Asami countered. Lin nodded, acknowledging that the girl was right. Just because she had more years to live her life doesn't mean that those are more years to find love, they could be more years of being denied that emotion she sought.

"My only advice to you kid, is to not spend your life wasting away wondering and searching. Often times when we are searching so hard, we miss what is right in front of us." The elder woman stood and began walking away, before turning and delivering one last piece of advice to the teenager. "Take the time to properly grieve, but then get up and strive for greater. Nothing good can come of harboring the past." With that the woman walked away. Asami let the words sink into her before standing up and looking out to the sea. The chief was right; nothing good would come from her pining over the loss of her father and Mako when she could spend her time fighting to prevent the loss of her company. Asami gave a fleeting smile to the playful wind before rushing back to the temple to pack her things. She was going back to Republic City to save the company that would soon become her legacy; and she could put her time and energy fully focusing, now that she was done grieving.


End file.
